Paracercomonas kinetid ultrastructure, origins of the body plan of Cercomonadida, and cytoskeleton evolution in Cercozoa

Serial section reconstruction shows that kinetid ultrastructure in two genetically divergent Paracercomonas (P. virgaria, P. metabolica) is basically similar, differing somewhat from clade A cercomonads. Paracercomonas (Paracercomonadidae fam. n.) have a posterior root (dp1) attached to the posterior centriole, unlike Cercomonadidae (here revised to include only Eocercomonas, Cercomonas, Filomonas gen. n., and Neocercomonas), which belong in clade A (new suborder Cercomonadina) with Cavernomonas (Cavernomonadidae fam. n.). Whether dp1 is serially homologous to anterior root da is unclear. The common ancestor of Cercomonadida probably had five microtubular roots, two fibrillar microtubule-nucleating centres generating microtubular cones, and striated connectors between obtusely angled centrioles. Our new data leave the question of holophyly versus polyphyly of Cercomonadida unresolved, but clarify cercozoan root diversity and homologies. Ventral root vp1 is throughout Cercozoa; vp2 might be restricted to the new superclass Ventrifilosa plus Sarcomonadea. Though cercozoan microtubular arrangements differ substantially from others within the kingdom Chromista, the microtubular root numbering system used for other chromists and Plantae is applicable to them; in doing this we found that the single anterior root of excavates (probably ancestral to Chromista, Plantae and unikonts) and Euglenozoa corresponds with R3 (not R4 as previously thought) of corticate eukaryotes (Chromista plus Plantae).     

Phylogenetic and morphological diversity of novel soil cercomonad species with a description of two new genera (Nucleocercomonas and Metabolomonas)

Cercomonads are important components of microbial food webs in soils and aquatic sediments. Here, we investigated the general morphology, behaviour, life cycle and 18S rDNA phylogeny of cercomonad cultures from a German grassland soil habitat. We describe ten new species including two new genera from 23 strains. Three Cercomonas, two Eocercomonas and three Paracercomonas species are described. Based on large phylogenetic distance and distinct morphology, we erect two novel clade B genera near the root of the cercomonad tree. Nucleocercomonas nov. gen. bears a number of characters unusual for cercomonads: Its anterior flagellum is extremely long, it mostly does not glide, and in its most frequent life stage the cell body does not attach to the substratum, but produces unattached pseudopodia. Furthermore, it has a unique nucleus with a peripheral nucleolus that attaches to the nuclear envelope opposite the basal body connection. Metabolomonas nov. gen. is extremely metabolic. It is characterized by a very high beating frequency of the anterior flagellum, fast gliding, rapid changes in shape and strong cytoplasmic streams. A new genus Brevimastigomonas is erected for the previously described species Paracercomonas anaerobica. The general morphology of cercomonad species often does not correspond with their phylogenetic position: closely related species may have a very different morphology.     

Andalucia (n. gen.)--the deepest branch within jakobids (Jakobida; Excavata), based on morphological and molecular study of a new flagellate from soil

A new heterotrophic flagellate (Andalucia godoyi n. gen. n. sp.) is described from soil. Earlier preliminary 18S rRNA analyses had indicated a relationship with the phylogenetically difficult-to-place jakobid Jakoba incarcerata. Andalucia godoyi is a small (3-5 mum) biflagellated cell with a ventral feeding groove. It has tubular mitochondrial cristae. There are two major microtubular roots (R1, R2) and a singlet root associated with basal body 1 (posterior). The microtubular root R1 is associated with non-microtubular fibres "I,"B," and "A," and divides in two parts, while R2 is associated with a "C" fibre. These structures support the anterior portion of the groove. Several features of A. godoyi are characteristic of jakobids: (i) there is a single dorsal vane on flagellum 2; (ii) the C fibre has the jakobid multilaminate substructure; (iii) the dorsal fan of microtubules originates in very close association with basal body 2; and (iv) there is no "R4" microtubular root associated with basal body 2. Morphological analyses incorporating the A. godoyi data strongly support the monophyly of all jakobids. Our 18S rRNA phylogenies place A. godoyi and J. incarcerata as a strong clade, which falls separately from other jakobids. Statistical tests do not reject jakobid monophyly, but a specific relationship between Jakoba libera and J. incarcerata and/or A. godoyi is rejected. Therefore, we have established a new genus Andalucia n. gen. with the type species Andalucia godoyi n. sp., and transfer Jakoba incarcerata to Andalucia as Andalucia incarcerata n. comb.     

Phylogeny of novel naked Filose and Reticulose Cercozoa: Granofilosea cl. n. and Proteomyxidea revised

Naked filose and reticulose protozoa were long lumped as proteomyxids or left outside higher groups. We cultivated eight naked filose or reticulose strains, did light microscopy, 18S rDNA sequencing and phylogeny (showing all are Cercozoa), and sequenced 80 environmental 18S-types. Filose species belong in subphylum Filosa and reticulose ones in subphylum Endomyxa, making proteomyxids polyphyletic. We therefore transfer the classically mainly reticulose Proteomyxidea to Endomyxa, removing evident filosans as new class Granofilosea (including Desmothoracida, Acinetactis and new heliomonad family Heliomorphidae (new genus Heliomorpha (=Dimorpha)). Five new species of Limnofila gen. n. (L. mylnikovi; L. anglica; L. longa; L. oxoniensis; L. borokensis, previously misidentified as Biomyxa (=Gymnophrys) cometa) form a large freshwater clade (new order Limnofilida). Mesofila limnetica gen., sp. n. and Nanofila marina gen., sp. n. group separately in Granofilosea (Cryptofilida ord. n.). In Endomyxa, a new genus of reticulose proteomyxids (Filoreta marina, F. japonica, F. turcica spp. n., F. (=Corallomyxa) tenera comb. n.) forms a clade (Reticulosida) related to Gromiidea/Ascetosporea. Platyreta germanica gen., sp. n. and Arachnula impatiens are related vampyrellids (Aconchulinida) within a large clade beside Phytomyxea. Biomyxidae and Rhizoplasmidae fam. n. remain incertae sedis within Proteomyxidea. Gymnophrydium and Borkovia are revised. The reticulose Corallomyxa are unlike Filoreta and possibly Amoebozoa, not Cercozoa.     

On Core Jakobids and Excavate Taxa: The Ultrastructure of Jakoba incarcerata

The cellular organisation of the 'excavate' flagellate Jakoba incarcerata Bernard, Simpson and Patterson 2000 is described. Cells have one nucleus and dictyosome. The putative mitochondria lack cristae. Two flagella (anterior and posterior) insert anterior to the feeding groove. The posterior flagellum bears a dorsal vane. An 'anterior' microtubular root arises against the anterior basal body. Two main microtubular roots, left and right, and a singlet 'root' arise around the posterior basal body and support the groove. Non-microtubular fibres termed 'A', 'B', 'I', and 'composite' associate with the right root. A multilaminar 'C' fibre associates with the left root. The cytoskeleton of J. incarcerata indicates a common ancestry with other excavate taxa (i.e. diplomonads, retortamonads, heteroloboseids, 'core jakobids', Malawimonas, Carpediemonas, and Trimastix). Overall, J. incarcerata is most similar to (other) core jakobids, namely Jakoba libera, Reclinomonas, and Histiona. We regard J. incarcerata as a core jakobid and identify the group by the synapomorphy 'vanes restricted to dorsal side of the posterior flagellum'. The anterior root and position of the B fibre (and presence of dense inclusions in the cartwheels and a conscpicuous singlet root-associated fibre) in J. incarcerata are novel for core jakobids and argue for close relationships with Trimastix and/or Heterolobosea. The C fibre is similar in substructure to the costal fibre of parabasalids and it is possible that the structures are homologous.     

Ultrastructure and ribosomal RNA phylogeny of the free-living heterotrophic flagellate Dysnectes brevis n. gen., n. sp., a new member of the Fornicata

Dysnectes brevis n. gen., n. sp., a free-living heterotrophic flagellate that grows under microaerophilic conditions possesses two flagella. The posterior one lies in a ventral feeding groove, suggesting that this flagellate is an excavate. Our detailed electron microscopic observations revealed that D. brevis possesses all the key ultrastructural characters considered typical of Excavata. Among the 10 excavate groups previously recognized, D. brevis displays an evolutionary affinity to members of the Fornicata (i.e. Carpediemonas, retortamonads, and diplomonads). Firstly, a strong D. brevis-Fornicata affinity was recovered in the phylogenetic analyses of small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) sequences, albeit the internal branching pattern of the D. brevis+Fornicata clade was not resolved with confidence. Corresponding to the SSU rRNA phylogeny, D. brevis and the Fornicata shared the following components of the flagellar apparatus: the arched B fiber bridging the right root; a posterior basal body; and a left root. Combining both morphological and molecular phylogenetic analyses, D. brevis is classified as a new free-living excavate in the Fornicata incertae sedis.     

Morphology and Phylogeny of Two New Pleurostomatid Ciliates,Epiphyllum shenzhenense n. sp. and Loxophyllum spirellum n. sp. (Protozoa,Ciliophora) from A Mangrove Wetland,South China

ABSTRACT. The morphology, infraciliature, and small subunit (SSU) rRNA gene sequences of two new pleurostomatid ciliates, Epiphyllum shenzhenense n. sp. and Loxophyllum spirellum n. sp., isolated from a mangrove wetland near Shenzhen, South China, were investigated. Epiphyllum shenzhenense n. sp. is morphologically characterized by leaf‐shaped cell about 150 × 35 μm in vivo, usually with four contractile vacuoles, 20–29 right kineties and 10–26 left kineties, ca. four macronuclear nodules, and two types of extrusomes (i.e. short spindle‐shaped and long bar‐shaped). As a new species, L. spirellum n. sp. is distinguished from its congeners by its posterior dorsal margin twisted onto the left side, the distribution of extrusomes (evenly arranged along the oral slit, the posterior end, and clustered to 7–13 warts on dorsal margin), the subterminally positioned contractile vacuole, the number of kineties (8–10 on right side, 4–5 on left side), and its genetic distance from congeners. Phylogenetic trees based on the SSU rRNA gene sequence for both organisms were constructed, which indicate that Epiphyllum is a distinct genus and occupies a basal position in the Pleurostomatida clade; L. spirellum n. sp. falls well into the Loxophyllum clade, which has a close relationship with Litonotus and Spiroloxophyllum.     

Genetic diversity and phylogenetic position of the subclass Astomatia (Ciliophora) based on a sampling of six genera from West African oligochaetes (Glossoscolecidae, Megascolecidae), including description of the new genus Paraclausilocola n. gen

To more confidently assess phylogenetic relationships among astome ciliates, we obtained small subunit (SSU) rRNA sequences from nine species distributed in six genera and three families: Almophrya bivacuolata, Eudrilophrya complanata, Metaracoelophrya sp. 1, Metaracoelophrya sp. 2, Metaracoelophrya intermedia, Metaradiophrya sp., Njinella prolifera, Paraclausilocola constricta n. gen., n. sp., and Paraclausilocola elongata n. sp. The two new species in the proposed new clausilocolid genus Paraclausilocola n. gen. are astomes with no attachment apparatus, two files of contractile vacuoles, and an arc-like anterior suture that has differentiations of thigmotactic ciliature on the anterior ends of the left kineties of the upper surface. Phylogenetic analyses were undertaken using neighbor-joining, Bayesian inference, maximum likelihood, and maximum parsimony. The nine species of astomes formed a strongly supported clade, showing the subclass Astomatia to be monophyletic and a weakly supported sister clade to the scuticociliates. There were two strongly supported clades within the astomes. However, genera assigned to the same family were found in different clades, and genera assigned to the same order were found in both clades. Thus, astome taxa appear to be paraphyletic when morphology is used to assign species to genera.     

Planomonadida ord. nov. (Apusozoa): ultrastructural affinity with Micronuclearia podoventralis and deep divergences within Planomonas gen. nov

Gliding zooflagellates previously misidentified as Ancyromonas sigmoides, Metopion or Heteromita constitute a new genus Planomonas. Three new Planomonas species (marine P. micra and P. mylnikovi: freshwater P. limna) have extremely divergent 18S rRNA and subtly but consistently different light microscopic morphology, distinguishable from P. (=Ancyromonas) melba comb. nov. and P. (=Bodo) cephalopora comb. nov. Ultrastructurally, P. micra and P. mylnikovi have a sub-plasma membrane dense pellicular layer (except in the ventral feeding pocket whose rim is supported by microtubules), kinetocysts, and flat mitochondrial cristae. Centrioles, connected at approximately 80 degrees by short fibres, have a dense amorphous distal plate below a double axosome and four microtubular roots. Microbody, mitochondrion, and dictyosomes associate with the nucleus. Longitudinal cytokinesis is slow and peculiar; ciliary transformation is from anterior to posterior as in other bikonts. Planomonads, like the non-flagellate Micronuclearia (here grouped with planomonads as Hilomonadea cl. nov.), have an indistinguishable single dense pellicular layer, not a double layer like apusomonads (comprising emended class Thecomonadea, phylum Apusozoa). We also sequenced 18S rDNA for Planomonas howeae sp. nov. and Micronuclearia podoventralis, plus actin genes of P. micra, Micronuclearia, Amastigmonas marina. All were analysed phylogenetically; the Planomonas clade is ancient, diverse and robust: it sometimes groups weakly as sister to Micronuclearia.     

Morphology and Phylogeny of Two Novel Ciliates,Arcanisutura chongmingensis n. gen., n. sp. and Naxella paralucida n. sp. from Shanghai,China

The morphologies of two novel ciliates, Arcanisutura chongmingensis n. gen., n. sp. and Naxella paralucida n. sp., collected from Shanghai, China, have been investigated using live observation and silver staining methods. Arcanisutura n. gen. can be easily distinguished from related genera by its inconspicuous, oblique anterior suture. Arcanisutura chongmingensis n. sp. is mainly recognized by its elongated body with a tail‐like posterior end, 25–33 somatic kineties, and 4–11 excretory pores. Naxella paralucida n. sp. can be distinguished from its congeners based on its two short nassulid organelles, fusiform trichocysts, 37–49 somatic kineties, and 16 nematodesmal rods. The small‐subunit (SSU) rRNA gene sequences of these two species are presented, revealing the phylogenetic positions of Arcanisutura and Naxella. Phylogenetic analyses show that Arcanisutura forms a sister clade to other synhymeniid genera, namely, Chilodontopsis, Orthodonella, and Zosterodasys; Naxella is most closely related to Nassula spp. and is located within the monophyletic clade of the family Nassulidae.     

Cell morphology and formal description of Ergobibamus cyprinoides n. g., n. sp., another Carpediemonas-like relative of diplomonads

About 20 new isolates of Carpediemonas-like organisms (CLOs) have been reported since 2006. Small subunit rRNA gene phylogenies divide CLOs into six major clades: four contain described exemplars (i.e. Carpediemonas, Dysnectes, Hicanonectes, and Kipferlia), but two include only undescribed organisms. Here we describe a representative of one of these latter clades as Ergobibamus cyprinoides n. g., n. sp., and catalogue its ultrastructure. Ergobibamus cyprinoides is a bean-shaped biflagellated cell, 7-11.5 μm long, with a conspicuous groove. Instead of classical mitochondria there are cristae-lacking rounded organelles 300-400 nm in diameter. The posterior flagellum has a broad ventral vane and small dorsal vane. There are normally four basal bodies, two non-flagellated. There is one anterior root (AR), containing six microtubules. The posterior flagellar apparatus follows the "typical excavate" pattern of a splitting right root supported by fibres "I,"B," and "A," a "composite" fibre, a singlet root, and a left root (LR) with a "C" fibre. The B fibre originates against the LR--a synapomorphy of the taxon Fornicata--supporting the assignation of Ergobibamus to Fornicata, along with diplomonads, retortamonads, and other CLOs. Distinctive features of E. cyprinoides include the complexity of the AR, which is intermediate between Hicanonectes, and Carpediemonas and Dysnectes, and a dorsal extension of the C fibre.     

The phylogenetic relationships between virus vector and other genera of macrosteline leafhoppers, including descriptions of new taxa (Homoptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae)

Abstract. Analysis of thirty-four macrosteline and twenty-eight non-macrosteline leafhopper genera (Homoptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae) suggests that the ability to transmit plant viruses has arisen on at least three separate occasions within the Macrostelini. The tribe, including the Coryphaelini syn.n. and Balcluthini, is shown to be monophyletic. A revised diagnosis of the Macrostelini is presented, together with a key to genera. Five new genera and eight new species are described: Aderganna gen.n. , Cicadabara gen.n. Kadrabolina gen.n. , Masafuera gen.n. and Scaphosteles gen.n. , Yamatotettix remanei sp.n. , Masafuera oceanica sp.n. , Aderganna aethiopica sp.n. , A.nigra sp.n. , Scaphosteles nukahiva sp.n. , Kadrabolina elongata sp.n. , K.sinuata sp.n. and K.bispinosa sp.n. Four new combinations and five new synonymies are established: Cicadabara dorsalis (Osborn) comb.n. , C.minuta (Osborn) comb.n. , C.tintorella (Osborn) comb.n. , Balclutha thea (Distant) comb.n. , B.smaragdula Matsumura as a junior synonym of B.thea (Distant) syn.n. , B.modesta Ahmed, Murtaza & Malik as a junior synonym of B.incisa (Matsumura) syn.n. , B.karachiensis Ahmed, Murtaza & Malik as a junior synonym of B.rubrostriata (Melichar) syn.n. , B.versicoloroides Ghauri as a junior synonym of B.sternalis (Distant) syn.n. and B.knighti Rao & Ramakrishnan as a junior synonym of B.sujawalensis Ahmed syn.n.     

Three new anascosporic genera of the Saccharomycotina: Danielozyma gen. nov., Deakozyma gen. nov. and Middelhovenomyces gen. nov

Three new non-ascosporic, ascomycetous yeast genera are proposed based on their isolation from currently described species and genera. Phylogenetic placement of the genera was determined from analysis of nuclear gene sequences for D1/D2 large subunit rRNA, small subunit rRNA, translation elongation factor-1α and RNA polymerase II, subunits B1 and B2. The new taxa are: Deakozyma gen. nov., type species Deakozyma indianensis sp. nov. (type strain NRRL YB-1937, CBS 12903); Danielozyma gen. nov., type species Danielozyma ontarioensis comb. nov. (type strain NRRL YB-1246, CBS 8502); D. litseae comb. nov. (type strain NRRL YB-3246, CBS 8799); Middelhovenomyces gen. nov., type species Middelhovenomyces tepae comb. nov. (type strain NRRL Y-17670, CBS 5115) and M. petrohuensis comb. nov. (type strain NRRL Y-17663, CBS 8173).     

The apertospathulidae, a new family of haptorid ciliates (protozoa, ciliophora)

We studied the morphology of three rare haptorid ciliates, using live observation and silver impregnation: Apertospathula verruculifera n. sp., Longispatha elegans n. gen., n. sp., and Rhinothrix porculus (Penard, 1922) n. gen., n. comb. Simple ethanol fixation (50-70%, v/v) is recommended to reveal the ciliary pattern of "difficult" ciliates, such as R. porculus, by protargol impregnation. The three genera investigated have a distinct feature in common, viz., a lasso-shaped oral bulge and circumoral kinety, where the right half is slightly to distinctly longer than the left and the circumoral kinety is open ventrally. Thus, they are united in a new spathidiid family, the Apertospathulidae n. fam., which probably evolved from a Bryophyllum-like ancestor by partial reduction of the oral bulge and circumoral kinety. Apertospathula verruculifera has a wart-like process, the palpus dorsalis, at the anterior end of the dorsal brush. The right branch of the circumoral kinety is only slightly longer than the left one. Longispatha elegans has a straight oral bulge and circumoral kinety, the right branch of which extends to the posterior end of the body while the left branch ends in the anterior third of the body. Rhinothrix porculus, a curious ciliate with a snout-like dorsal elongation of the oral bulge, the palpus oralis, has a highly characteristic ciliary pattern: the oral pattern is as in Longispatha, but the bulge and circumoral kinety extend spirally to the posterior end of the body while the somatic kineties course meridionally. This is achieved by inserting some shortened kineties in the curves of the oral bulge.     

The pterolichoid feather mites (Acarina, Astigmata) of the Megapodiidae (Aves, Galliformes)

The pterolichoid feather mites of megapodes are reviewed. Named taxa are briefly discussed and most are figured. The Pterolichidae (Pterolichinae) are: Ascetohchus Perez & Atyeo, three species; Echinozonus Atyeo & Perez, six species; Pereziella Atyeo, two species; and Phycoferus Atyeo & Perez, two species. New pterolichine taxa, with the type species listed first, include: Botryaspis cordiforma gen. et sp.n. and B. cordata gen. et sp.n.; Cycloprotarsus lineatus gen. et sp.n., C. centralis gen. et sp.n. and C. monacrotrichus gen. et sp.n.; Eurypterolichus gen.n. for Pterolichus navicula comb.n. Trouessart & Neumann and E. coniger gen. et sp.n.; Goniodurus gen.n. for Pterolichus ( Pseudalloptes ) quadratus comb.n. Trouessart and G. bilobatus gen. et sp.n.; Haptepigynus gen.n. for Pterolichus ( Pseudalloptes ) tridentiger comb.n. Trouessart and H. holonotus gen. et sp.n.; Heliaspis ventralis gen. et sp.n.; Leipobius ocellatus gen. et sp.n.; Maleolichus maleo gen. et sp.n.; Mayracarus gen.n. for Pterolichus (P.) tritilobus comb.n. Trouessart; Megapodobius arcuatus gen. et sp.n. and M. striatus gen. et sp.n.; Oxygynurus brevissimus gen. et sp.n., O. longicaulis gen. et sp.n., O. mediocaulis gen. et sp.n. and O. parvicaulis gen. et sp. n.; Prionoturus amembranatus gen. et sp. n.; Talegallobius bidentatus gen. et sp.n.; and Tanysomacarus imperfectus gen. et sp.n. and T. brachymeles gen. et sp.n. A new taxon of the Thoracosathesidae is: Thoracosathes caudiculata sp.n. Keys are provided and host- commensal associations are discussed. All taxa are restricted to the Megapodiidae. Cheylabis fuscina Trouessart is assigned to Pereziella and has as a synonym P. dupilcata Atyeo.     

Light Microscopic Observations, Ultrastructure, and Molecular Phylogeny of Hicanonectes teleskopos n. g., n. sp., a Deep-Branching Relative of Diplomonads

ABSTRACT. We describe Hicanonectes teleskopos n. g., n. sp., a heterotrophic flagellate isolated from low-oxygen marine sediment. Hicanonectes teleskopos has a ventral groove and two unequal flagella, and rapidly rotates during swimming. At the ultrastructural level H. teleskopos is a "typical excavate": it displays flagellar vanes, a split right microtubular root, "I,""B," and "C" fibres, a singlet microtubular root, and a possible composite fibre. Small subunit rRNA (SSU rRNA) gene phylogenies and an "arched" B fibre demonstrate that H. teleskopos belongs to Fornicata (i.e. diplomonads, retortamonads, and relatives). It forms a clade with the deep-branching fornicate Carpediemonas , with moderate-to-strong bootstrap support, although their SSU rRNA gene sequences are quite dissimilar. Hicanonectes differs from Carpediemonas in cell shape, swimming behaviour, number of basal bodies (i.e. 4 vs. 3), number of flagellar vanes (i.e. 2 vs. 3), anterior root organization, and by having a cytopharynx. Like Carpediemonas and Dysnectes, Hicanonectes has conspicuous mitochondrion-like organelles that lack cristae and superficially resemble the hydrogenosomes of parabasalids, rather than the mitosomes of their closer relatives the diplomonads (e.g. Giardia ).     

Expanding the molecular and morphological diversity of Apusomonadida,a deep-branching group of gliding bacterivorous protists

Apusomonads are cosmopolitan bacterivorous biflagellate protists usually gliding on freshwater and marine sediment or wet soils. These nanoflagellates form a sister lineage to opisthokonts and may have retained ancestral features helpful to understanding the early evolution of this large supergroup. Although molecular environmental analyses indicate that apusomonads are genetically diverse, few species have been described. Here, we morphologically characterize 11 new apusomonad strains. Based on molecular phylogenetic analyses of the rRNA gene operon, we describe four new strains of the known species Multimonas media, Podomonas capensis, Apusomonas proboscidea, and Apusomonas australiensis, and rename Thecamonas oxoniensis as Mylnikovia oxoniensis n. gen., n. comb. Additionally, we describe four new genera and six new species: Catacumbia lutetiensis n. gen. n. sp., Cavaliersmithia chaoae n. gen. n. sp., Singekia montserratensis n. gen. n. sp., Singekia franciliensis n. gen. n. sp., Karpovia croatica n. gen. n. sp., and Chelonemonas dolani n. sp. Our comparative analysis suggests that apusomonad ancestor was a fusiform biflagellate with a dorsal pellicle, a plastic ventral surface, and a sleeve covering the anterior flagellum, that thrived in marine, possibly oxygen-poor, environments. It likely had a complex cell cycle with dormant and multiple fission stages, and sex. Our results extend known apusomonad diversity, allow updating their taxonomy, and provide elements to understand early eukaryotic evolution.     

Phylogenetic position of Sphaerospora testicularis and Latyspora scomberomori n. gen. n. sp. (Myxozoa) within the marine urinary clade

An amendment of the family Sinuolineidae (Myxosporea) is proposed in order to include a newly described genus Latyspora n. gen. The type species Latyspora scomberomori n. gen. n. sp. is a coelozoic parasite in the kidney tubules of Scomberomorus guttatus. In addition to the morphological and molecular characterization of L. scomberomori n. gen. n. sp., we also present novel SSU rDNA data on Sphaerospora testicularis, a serious parasite of Dicentrarchus labrax. Performed phylogenetic analyses revealed that both species cluster within the marine urinary clade encompassing the representatives with a shared insertion within their V4 SSU rRNA region and grouping according to the shape of their spores' sutural line and their similar tissue tropism in the host. Sphaerospora testicularis is the closest relative to Parvicapsula minibicornis within the Parvicapsula subclade and L. scomberomori n. gen. n. sp. is the basal species of the Zschokkella subclade. The phylogenetic position of S. testicularis, outwith the basal Sphaerospora sensu stricto clade, and its morphology suggest it being a non-typical Sphaerospora. The sequence data provided on S. testicularis can help in future revisions of the strongly polyphyletic genus Sphaerospora. We recommend re-sequencing of several sphaerosporids as an essential step before such taxonomic changes are accomplished.